Chance Encounter
by hahajk4
Summary: What happens when Sesshomaru and Kagome meet in the 21st century, where demons aren't extinct. Will love bloom? Will they be completely compatible? And what is to happen when someone threatens their relationship? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Her phone rang and she looked down to see it was the one person she DIDN'T want to talk to, but she answered anyway. "Hello, Hojo she said through grit teeth."

"Hey, Kagome. I was wondering if you would like to come over some time." His voice was hopeful.

"I'm actually very busy Hojo. Ya know, classes, work, extracurricular activities Ya get what I m going in the direction of?"

"Yeah," he said with false happiness. "Just whenever you find time. I m always open to hang out with you."

"Mm hmm. Okay Hojo. I'll let you know if I get any free time to hang out. I gotta go. Busy busy me."

"Oh. I don't mean to keep you from what you're doing."

She ended the call with a huff. "What's going on?" Sango, her best friend asked. Kagome just looked at her. "Him again?" She nodded as she threw herself back onto the bed. "Is he not getting that you don't want to be with him?"

"Clearly he isn't". She sat up. "I mean, I don't want to be mean. The guy is really nice and all, but geesh. Can a girl get some farting space? Ugh."

Sango laughed, "Farting space?"

Kagome giggled back. "Yeah. Haha. You know what I mean. He s too clingy. I'm definitely regretting ever talking to him in the first place."

"Well clearly you saw something in him."

Kagome shot her a playful glare. "You know exactly what I saw. Something to relieve my feminine needs, if you know what I mean." She rose her eyebrows at the end of her statement and they both started laughing. Then she got a text. "Oh Kami. Please don't be him again." She looked down. Ugh it is." She looked at the message, locked her phone, and laid back down. "I'm not responding to that bullshit." Her phone vibrated again. She read the message while she was laying down and shot up.

"So what does it say?" Sango asked as she watched her friend tap a message into her smart phone ferociously.

Kagome laughed a humorless laugh. "This guy is really fucking stupid. And I know he's trying to get a rise out of me. He knows my temper knows little to no bounds." She looked into Sango's expectant eyes and huffed. "He was basically saying that I'm not interested in him anymore and that it's obvious. But then he went on to try to make me upset enough to call or go over to give him a piece of my mind by saying that I'm weak and calling me ugly. So I just told him to have a nice life and that I wish him the best in the future. Then he calls me a bitch. SO, I told him that if he continued to text me, he'd be visited by the cops for harassment."

Sango stared at her best friend with wide eyes. "That prick! Why I oughta..." Kagome laughed.

"You won't do anything. We're ladies, madam, she replied with and emphasized regal tone in her voice. "So. Seeing as how we aren't actually doing anything except painting our toes, how about we go to a club. I could use a drink and a hot guy to dance with."

Sango squealed and hopped off the bed and ran to her closet. "Go get ready, then, Kags!" she yelled from the inside of her closet. Kagome laughed and walked across the hall to her room.

Their apartment was the perfect size for the both of them. They each had a bathroom, walk-in closet and a nice sized bedroom. The kitchen had a bar that connected to the living area, and that was all the both of them really needed.

Less than an hour later, they walked out of their rooms and looked hot. Kagome wore a red dress that stopped mid thigh and was open across her chest with mini sleeves.

And Sango wore a royal blue pleated halter dress that stopped at the middle of her thigh, also.

Their make-up was flawless. They looked as if they had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. They went out to Kagome's Infiniti and headed to the hottest club in Japan.

They didn't even have to stand in line. The bouncer took one look at them and moved the rope for them to go straight in. Kagome gave him a quick peck on the cheek and said, "Thanks, hun." Sango just waved at him with a sexy smile.

The music was bumping and the two were having a wonderful time. It probably helped that drinks were constantly being sent their way from different guys in the club. They didn't really care; it just felt good to be able to let loose. That and the fact that Kagome was a dog demon and Sango was a cat demon let them not worry about possible drugged drinks. Even after dancing on the floor for three hours, the two were nowhere near buzzed.

It was around two in the morning and the music was starting to wind down when both Kagome and Sango were tapped on the shoulder. They looked to see who it was who interrupted their fun. It was a guy for each of them. One was tall, about six foot five. He had long (at least for this day and age), silver hair that was in a ponytail. His eyes were a piercing gold and they clashed with Kagome's chocolate. She took a deep breath. He was a dog demon.

Sango was taking in her intruder's features, also. He was shorter than his friend. Maybe five inches, but still taller than she. His hair was short, black, and pulled into a tight ponytail at the base of his neck. And his violet orbs seemed to stare straight into her very soul. He was also a neko demon.

They introduced themselves without breaking eye contact with each girl. "Hello. My name is Sesshomaru." "And I m Miroku." He picked up Sango's hand and kissed it while Sesshomaru nodded his head.

Kagome spoke, "I'm Kagome, and this is Sango." Kagome looked over at Sango. They'd been friends for so long, they could practically read each other's minds. And Kagome saw the same thing in Sango that she felt going on within herself. Their beasts were responding strongly to these two men.

"Let's go somewhere quiet," Sesshomaru said loud enough for both girls to hear him. They nodded and walked out of the club.

The bouncer said, "Have a good night ladies," with a smile.

Both Sesshomaru and Miroku growled and grabbed each girls hand. And walked over the parking complex for the club. Kagome and Sango took their hands back slowly, knowing that it was a reaction of their beasts. Not from a rationally thinking brain.

Sesshomaru stopped and looked Kagome in the eyes. "I know the perfect place." He looked up and over to Sango and Miroku. "We can eat, you ladies can rest your feet, and," he looked back down at Kagome, "you can tell me where you've been all my life. Follow me. I'll meet you at the gas station on the corner." Kagome and Sango nodded. And walked to Kagome's car.


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome and Sango followed the two men from the gas station to this secluded 24 hour restaurant. They all got out of the two cars and walked to the entrance for the door to be opened for them by Sesshomaru. They nodded their heads in thanks.

It was a quaint mom and pop type deal. The decor was cozy and the booths were all nicely padded and covered with leather. The lights were dimmed, but not enough to the point of not being able to see. A small woman walked up to the group, with a smile. "Good morning," she said keeping that same smile on her face. "If you would come with me, I have a booth ready for you next a window? Or a wall. Which ever you prefer."

Kagome spoke up, "A window would be great," she said with a small smile.

The woman walked the group of four over to a table against a window. "Is there anything I can get for you to drink while you figure what you want?"

"May I have a water?" Sesshomaru asked as he slid into the booth to sit in front of Kagome.

"Me too," Kagome said as they both made eye contact.

Miroku and Sango both echoed Kagome's response.

"Cool," the waitress said with a huge smile. "My name is Kirie and I'll be back with your waters and give you a couple minutes to look over the menu."

Each couple dove into their own separate conversations.

"So what do you do?" Kagome asked Sesshomaru.

"I am the CEO at Taisho Enterprise. What about you my lovely, Kagome?"

She blushed at the compliment. "Well, my job isn't as extravagant as that. I work at an art studio. Sango and I have kids express themselves through painting, sketching, and sculpting. And every now and then graffiti"

Sesshomaru just smiled at her. "Absolutely perfect. I'd like to take you out some time. Would that be an enjoyable occasion for you?"

"That would be extremely enjoyable for me," she giggled.

Kirie came back to the table, "Have we all made decisions on something to eat."

Both girls giggled a little bit. They hadn't even looked at the menus, yet. "I ll have a banana nut muffin," Kagome said.

"Same for me," responded Sango.

"We'll have with the same as the beautiful ladies," Miroku said with a smile. Sesshomaru only nodded.

"All right. Just to let you know, it will take a while, considering everything is freshly made."

"That is acceptable."

"And, me and the wonderful Sango are going to sit one booth over. Ya know private conversations and whatnot." He winked at Sango and she punched his jaw as hard as she could. She was fuming at what he was implying. He chuckled and set his broken jaw. Kagome sat at the edge of her seat waiting to see what would happen next. Once it was set and healed he looked at Sango, still chuckling, "Ohhhh she s a keeper, eh Sesshomaru?" He gently grabbed her hand and lead her to the other booth.

Kagome relaxed against the back of the chair. "Good to know how protective you are. You had nothing to worry about. We are complete gentlemen."

"Hmph. I don't know about complete. So, what had you to go to the club tonight. Doesn't seem like your type of scene."

"I actually decided to listen to my beast for once. That and Miroku wouldn't quit pestering me until I agreed to go out with him. That's when I saw you and your friend. My beast pulled me to you, and before I knew it I was tapping your shoulder."

"Oh. I mean, I felt something but, I don't know. I was enjoying the music so much. And the dancing." Kagome sighed thinking about the fun she had. "But it's funny. I felt something similar to butterflies when you tapped me. My beast growled and purred, but chalked it up to her enjoying herself." Sesshomaru half smiled and chuckled a little.

Kagome's phone vibrated and she ignored it. No one should be texting her and expecting a response at this hour. Then she got a phone call. She rolled her eyes. "Could you please excuse me?" He nodded and she looked down at her phone. It was Hojo. She groaned, declined the call, and shoved her phone back into her purse.

"Is there a problem?" Sesshomaru asked with concern.

"It's this guy named Hojo. I had a uh fling type thing with him. I was going through a cycle and -"

"No need to explain, my dear. I completely understand. He was just to sate your beast."

She let go a breath she didn't know she was holding, "Exactly."

"So, we should definitely go out," Sesshomaru told her with a smile.

"I agree."

They exchanged numbers and enjoyed their conversation as the sun rose. Little did they know, they were being watched.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been about a month since the coffee shop event, and the two couples made their relationships official. Kagome didn't really know how far Sesshomaru's appearance made girls act, but she always knew how to handle a situation, should one arise. Sesshomaru constantly made surprise trips to the art studio with gifts for Kagome. She wasn't stupid. She knew that he intended to mate her and she didn't have a problem with that.

"All right, Sess. I'll be getting off at five. Same as usual," she said smiling into her phone. "Why are you being so weird? And I know Sango is in on it, too. She's been acting strange, lately."

"It's nothing to worry your pretty little head over," his baritone replied.

"Don't talk to me like that, Sess. You know I don't like when I'm talked down to." Her smile fell.

"I didn't mean it like that. I swear Kags. You know I wouldn't do that on purpose. I'm sorry."

Sh could tell his apology was sincere. She giggled, "just don't let it happen again." She walked to the back of the studio and made sure the back door and windows were locked then walked back to the front making sure to have everything secure before she left for the night. "So what are we doing tonight?"

He chuckled. "I can't tell you that, my dear."

"So I'm guessing you're also getting me from work," she huffed, " considering your pawn has taken my car."

He let out a real laugh that time. He doesn't usually do it, but when he does, it's music to Kagome's ears. "Yes. I'm actually outside waiting for you right now."

"Uh huh. Ok. Let me turn out these light- WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!" Kagome yelled at the human man, she wished would just drop dead.

"Kagome?! What's going on in there?!" Sesshomaru was more than frantic. And the fact that she wasn't answering his questions didn't help his reaction.

"DON'T PUT YOUR FUCKING HANDS ON ME, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" There was a pause and Sesshomaru jumped out of the car with the phone glued to his head. "I said get OUT!" There was a loud crash and Sesshomaru burst through the front entrance.

He saw Kagome standing over the limp body of a male with brown hair. There was pieces of dried pottery clay all over the floor. "Are you ok?" he asked as he pulled her into his arms.

"I'm fine." She kissed his cheek to calm his beast then stepped back. "Well, this is Hojo. The guy that has been all but stalking me since we started talking." She saw Sesshomaru's irises being to rim with red. "It's ok, Sess. See? I can handle myself."

"**Mine" **his voice was rough. She knew his beast was gaining control.

She stood in front of him again and lifted her chin, slightly turned her head, and pulled his face into the crook of her neck. He instantly calmed. "It's ok. Don't let this idiot ruin a soon to be, perfect night." She felt him nod into her shoulder. "Ok. Now I'm just gonna toss him out on the curb, sweep up this mess, and we can go. If you want, you can stay here and have a seat." He sat down and she planted and small kiss on his lips.

She quickly hefted the limp human over her shoulder and tossed him outside on a patch of grass. Then she cleaned the mess and quickly sprayed some air freshener, knowing that Sesshomaru could still smell him.

"Ready, Sess?" She was standing in front of him. He looked her in the eyes and she could tell his beast was still trying to get out.

"**You mine. No one else." **he said through his teeth.

"Of course, my love. Now let's go see this surprise you have planned for me tonight."

Sesshomaru calmed down enough to drive her to the site of her surprise. They pulled up to his house and she looked over to ask him why they were there, but he was already at her door, opening it.

"Thank you, Taisho-sama." she said with exaggerated formality. He smiled.

"This way, Higurashi-chan."

He opened the door and he had his entire family and Sango surprise her welcoming her in. She looked back at him with question all over her face. He got down on one knee, and her eyes grew to the size of saucers.

"What are you doing?" she asked not believing what was about to happen.

"Higurashi Kagome, as our friends and family witness, will you do me the honor of allowing me to court you?"

Her mouth stayed agape for a moment or two before she finally answered.


	4. Chapter 4

"Of course I will," she replied with a smile. He stood and tied a fang on a chain around her neck.

"You have no idea how happy you've made me." He leaned in and kissed her and the fang rested on her chest began to glow. "It seems my beast strongly agrees."

(In the courting ritual, the recieving individual, usually the female, recieves a gift from the potential mate's beast. when, or if, it glows the beast approves of it's master's choice.)

The two turned to the crowd, smiled, and bowed. "Well don't just stand around," Kagome stated. "Let's get this party started!" As if on cue, the DJ scratcheed a record and starting playing the latest of party music causing the entire party to start dancing.

Kagome went to sit down after a while and was approached from behind. "You know I have an issue with people coming behind me without announcing themselves." She turned with a smile to see InuYasha. "Bring it in, ya crazy mutt. She and InuYasha had a weird friendship since high school. He had feelings for her and she did for him but they never did anything about it. Over time those feelings went away and their friendship had become stronger because of it. They embraced one another. "How've you been?"  
>"I've been good, Kags. Just got back from my vacation to America and find out that you're the girl my brother won't shut up about. But how've you been, Ms. Sister-to-be?"<br>She blushed a little at the name and responded, "Oh you know, just relaxing, working, having fun." They talked for a little while and she found out that he was actually working under Sesshomaru at Taisho Enterprise. "Well I should probably find Sango. Have you seen her?"  
>"Na. But it was nice talkin to ya. See ya around, Kags." He hugged her and disappeared into the crowd.<p>

Kagome went in the other direction in search of Sango. After trying to use her nose, and being congratulated, for about ten minutes she gave up and decided to go upstairs to Sesshomaru's room. She just wanted some alone time. She walked up the stairs and heard what sounded a lot like sex noises from one of the many guest rooms in the house. As she walked by she heard Miroku's name get screamed by a voice she knew too well. She tried her best to stifle a laugh as she walked down the hall. "At least you're gettin some, Sango," she giggled to herself. Suddenly she was grabbed from behind and pushed into Sesshomaru's room. She was freaked out. Her senses are usually on high alert. But she knew this place. It had to be someone she knew, but the scent was masked.  
>"My beast has wanted this since the first day we met," he whispered roughly in her ear as the door shut behind him.<br>"Sess?" She questioned still not able to focus.  
>She could feel him smile against her ear. "Yes, my dear. At least for the moment."<br>~~~~~LEMON~~~~~  
><strong>OMITTED FOR INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT (if you want to know what happened, PM me or send me an email)<strong>  
>~~~~~END LEMON~~~~~<p>

When they opened their eyes they were on his bed covered in sweat and he semen on the sheet. Kagome slid off her knees, rolled over, and looked at him. "That. Was. Amazing."

"When we mate, it'll be better." He rolled her to her side and draped an arm over her waist, and they soon found themselves falling asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Sesshomaru brought Kagome back home. She looked around and decided to get ready for work. So far it had been a pretty normal day. She and Sango breezed through the day, helping the kids. They even got to work on their own personal projects, and before they knew it, it was after nine o'clock.

"All right, Sango. You about to head out?"

"Yeah. I'm setting my painting in the back room to dry." When she came back from the back room, she looked out the front glass door to the studio. "Kags," she said without taking her eyes off of what she saw outside.

"Yeah. What's up?" Kagome went to her side.

"Do you see that?"

Kagome stared outside of the window for a little bit and squinted her eyes a little, "I see movement. That's about it. Wait. Is that a person?"

"It has to be a very stupid person to try to sneak up on both of us," Sango said pulling her messanger bag over her shoulder.

Kagome smiled," Let's go. The boys wanted to have dinner with us."

Sango laughed as Kagome grabbed her car keys, "I think it's getting kind of late for dinner." She wiggled her eyebrows at the end of her statement.

Kagome rolled her eyes, "I'm guessing Miroku brought you to work?" Sango blushed. "Hahahaha. C'mon." They stepped outside and were blinded by flashing lights.

"Agh. What the shit?!" Sango yelled and they both shielded their faces from the lights.

"Kagome, how long have you been seeing Sesshomaru?" "How'd you keep it a secret so long?" "When do you plan on having kids?"

"Sango, what's it like to date someone famous?" "Are you getting married, too?"

Questions flew at them left and right as they struggled to find Kagome's car. She hit the 'Panic' button on her key and the alarm opened the crowd a little and they got to the car before any of the paparazzi could ask anymore questions. Kagome started shaking.

"Kags?... Kags?!" She shook more violently. Sango yanked her to the backseat and sped to Sesshomaru's place. They were there in less than ten minutes. "C'mon Kags. Fight it." She kept snarling and thrashing (as much as could be expected in the back of an Infiniti). Sango screeched to a stop and jumped out of the car. "SESSHOMARU!" Sango ran to the front door and banged on the door twice, and Sesshomaru was there and frantic.

"What's wrong?" he asked confused and concerned. Then her scent hit him. He looked at her sleek car, "Shit." Right as he said it, her car top stretched and burst as she started to transform. He pushed Sango inside and ran toward Kagome. "Kagome," he said it soothingly as he got closer. She snapped her head at him, and growled threateningly. He stepped closer, and her growl got louder. "I'm coming closer." He managed to stop her from comletely transforming, but it hadn't receded either. She had a human figure, but her ears had begun to lift and her teeth and face elongated and she stood at roughly seven feet. "I can feel you're angry. Just come down, and we can talk." She growled again, and he snarled back at her. "We can talk, or we can fight it's your choice." His eyes started to bleed and his aura flared.

Slowly, Kagome started to change back into her human form and her eyes changed back to their chocolate brown. When it was over she stared at him. "You don't think a warning about paparazzi would be nice?!" He moved to hold her. "No! Just don't fucking touch me. Did you ever think there's a reason I work in a paint shop? Outside of the public's eye?!" She didn't wait for a response, "ugh. I need to go for a walk. And no," her voice sounded more calm than before. "I don't want company."

He watched as she walked away and Sango walked up to him. "I probably should have let you both know that the company is in the lime light right now, huh?"

Sango took a deep breath and looked up at him, "Honestly, it would have been nice to know, or at least have an idea, of what was coming our way ahead of time. She doesn't like being in the lime light. And neither do I as a matter of fact, but that's an ass chewing for Miroku." She looked back in the direction that her friend walked in, she had already disappeared behind the treeline. "It's part of the reason we work with kids. In the outskirts of the city." She put her hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes, "Just give her a little time. I promise she'll be back. Or I'll go after her for you." She smiled and walked back to the house.

Sesshomaru took a deep breath and took in what Sango had told him and decided to deal with what used to be Kagome's car. "I should probably get her a new one."

~~~~WITH KAGOME~~~~

She was extremely grateful that Sesshomaru and his family were not big on human interaction. It felt great to just walk in the woods without having to worry about anyone trying to snap her picture. Just as the thought crossed her mind, a twig snapped behind her. She continued walking as if she hadn't heard the sound, but started to sniff the air. She desperately tried to place he scent when she felt the stranger getting closer. She stopped and turned, "Stop hiding. I know you're there." She saw some leaves rustle and out stepped the last person she wanted to see. She took a deep breath. "What the shit, Hojo?! Why are you out here?"

He smiled at her. "I was just camping. I like coming out and watching the stars when I have time off. I was talking to my friend who was telling me how you were on the tabloid channel tonight. Ya know, a late "scoop" as they like to call it. Then, what do I faintly hear in the dark quiet of the woods? The lovely humming from you."

"So you decided to follow me, like a creep?" she asked as she lifted one slender eyebrow.

"Not exactly 'like a creep.' More of an admirer." His smile grew.

"Uh huh," she rolled her eyes. "Well I should really be getting back. Please, just leave me alone, or you'll get worse than being knocked out on the curb. It's a promise, Hojo." She turned to walk the way she was heading. She knew he was going to follow her.

"That's fine, Kagome. I'm always around. Just so you know."

She rolled her eyes again, transformed, and ran the long way back to Sesshomaru's place.

~~~~BACK AT THE HOUSE~~~~

Kagome changed back to her humanoid form and walked in the house. Sango shouted from the kitchen, "We're in here." Kagome walked to the kitchen and sat down directly in front of Sesshomaru. "Welllllllll, Miroku should be here any minute, so I'll just wait outside." She got up and walked out of the front door.

The two stared at each other for a moment, then Sesshomaru spoke, "I'm so sorry I did that to you. I-it didn't even occur to me that I should have told you about the attention my company is getting. I just-" he sighed. "I don't know what I was or wasn't thinking. I'm just so sorry." She smiled at him as they made eye contact. "What is it?"

"This is my first time seeing you so flustered. I accept your apology and I thank you for giving me my time. Although, I'm sure that Sango pressed the issue." As she said that, they heard Miroku's car pull out of the driveway. She smiled. "Thank you. Just let me know these things. I don't really enjoy paparazzi, but I'll deal with them. But that's only for you." He smiled and kissed her from across the table. "I absolutely love that I'm the only person who ever sees this side of you." She closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh," she said as she opened her eyes. "I ran into Hojo in the woods. He was being a creep and his scent is weird from what I remember of it. What's the likelyhood of him being able to change? As in, not be human."


	6. Chapter 6

Sesshomaru sat contemplatively for a few minutes. "It would take a great deal of power and sacrifice to be able to complete such an abominable action. But I suppose anything is possible. I'll look more into it, tomorrow. Now, it's time for my future mate to go to bed." He smiled at her as he brought her into an embrace and kissed her forehead.

She giggled at him, "But, Sess, I'm not even tired."

"I never said anything about going to sleep. I said that it's time for you to go to bed." At the end of that statement he winked at her, which caused her to blush a new shade of red. "I'll be up momentarily." She kissed his lips passionately and walked away. She swayed her hips more drastically, knowing that he was looking. "Don't take too long," she said as she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor.

He shook his head and looked down at his already excited member, "that woman will be the death of me." He put the thoughts of nights spent with his future mate aside to email his father about this possible issue.

"Sesshomaru..." He heard Kagome moan out.

He sent the email and raced up the stairs. He walked through the doorway and looked at his bed. There he found Kagome barely covered with the black silk sheet. She was completely nude and only covered the "essentials." "You entice me anymore and you will be mated by the end of the night." His voice became gruff.

"Now, What if I didn't mind?" she asked as she moved to crawl across the bed to him.

"It wouldn't be right," he ground out. She could hear his control slipping. She lifted and pressed her body against his and left a trail of open-mouthed kisses along his jaw. "Kagome," he growled. She moaned in response, and he slammed her small frame on the bed. He ground his prominent erection into her hips and stared down at her with bleeding red eyes. "Let me do this the proper way." He threw himself off of her and paced the area in front of the bed. It was a few minutes before he spoke again. "I just want to do everything correctly with you." She looked at him with a confused expression and covered her body with the sheet. He sighed, "Kami, I can't wait until I can do everything to you. See you pupped from my seed..." He took a deep breath and smelled her arousal and his eyes rimmed red again. "Ugh. You make me lose control." He sighed again. "We announced the courtship beginning, but we have to actually go through the entire courting process, then an announcement has to be made about the mating date. Similar to what the humans call a wedding." He looked at her again. "Did you never talk with your parents about this?" She shook her head 'No.' "Why not? This is essential knowledge." He knelt in front of her. And she stared back at him eyes glazing over as she remembered the last contact she had with her parents.

"I left them at an early age, met Sango, and her parents never got the chance to speak with either of us. They passed in an accident when her mother went into labor with her little brother, Kohaku." She held his gaze, "We've been letting instinct drive us for the most part."

He stared at her. "Why did you leave?"

She looked at her lap. "Why does it matter? They shouldn't find me; and if they do, they can't exactly take me away." She looked up at him as she finished her statement.

He smirked, "I wouldn't let them." He stood up and walked to his closet, "But they could try, because you aren't a mated youkai." He walked out with a robe for her. "Seeing as how this isn't exactly a standard courting, we'll be needing my father's help." He helped her into the robe, "Let's get some rest, we'll go first thing in the morning."

She nodded at him and crawled into bed with him behind her. He draped an arm around her waist, but neither of them could fall into a restful sleep. Her thoughts of the parents she tried so hard to forget kept popping into her head.


	7. Chapter 7

"Ah, Kagome-chan!" Inu no Taisho's voice boomed in welcome. "Come on in," Kagome and Sesshomaru walked into the house and nodded in greeting. When they all sat he spoke again, "Izayoi, bring us some tea, would you? This is going to be a draining conversation." Kagome looked up at him with a question written on her expression. He made eye contact with her, "You don't get to my age and status without being able to read auras, that and the email that Sesshomaru sent me yesterday. I'm sure that'll come up later."

Izayoi brought the tea and sat down. Everyone grabbed a cup and took a sip before anyone spoke.

It was Sesshomaru to break the silence, "Father, Kagome has not been in contact with her parents in quite some time. And she does not wish for contact with them."

Inu no Taisho widened his eyes a fraction. It was unheard of for an inu to leave their pup behind. "I'm guessing you left them. Would you mind telling me why you left?" She looked in his eyes for a moment.

Something about this man told her that she could trust him. She felt safer, if possible with Sesshomaru, with him. She felt nothing but love and concern rolling off of him. "I've never told anyone before," she looked down at her lap, "Up until I was around ten years, my parents would torture me, and punish me further if they didn't get the reaction they wanted." Izayoi gasped, Sesshomaru growled and pulled her closer, and Inu no Taisho's frame became rigid. Kagome sniffled a little and continued, "They would carve pictures into my flesh, and if I didn't scream loud enough, sometimes if I screamed at all, they would just start over once my skin had completely healed." She took a shuddering breath. "And they constantly told me that no one would want me, especially if I didn't know how to follow simple instruction. Such as dealing with what they put me through. So, one night after they took the chains off of me, because they were done, I laid on the cold, stone floor and I decided that I would not shed another tear over them. I re-set my broken bones, and waited for the blood to stop flowing from me. I stood and walked around the room once and stopped at the door." She shut her eyes, imaging everything she did that night. "I stopped at the door, there were two guards, I called out to them 'Please,' I coughed out, 'Can I please have some water?' They laughed at me. Called me pathetic. I waited for the door to open, and took the cup. I stopped him from closing the door with strength I didn't know I had. I slid out of the door and pass him before he knew what happened. The second guard looked at me and smiled. He lunged at me with his sword, I dodged and jumped over his head, kneeled on his shoulders, and pulled his head off. The first guard looked at me with disbelief and ran toward me with his sword raised above his head. I dodged that blow and saw a window behind him. He swiped at me again and I ducked, darted toward him and slashed my claws across his face." She paused for a moment and stared at her hands, "I felt the bones in his face break under my fingertips." She closed her eyes again, "I jumped out of the window. I didn't know if I'd fall to my death or land in a patch of grass. But at that point, it didn't really matter. I don't know how long I fell before I heard an urgent voice. It yelled at me 'GIVE ME CONTROL!' and I complied. I found myself in a dark room a moment later and I heard that same voice, it was sweet now but gruff. It said, 'You're safe now. Rest.' When I awoke, I found myself in a land I didn't recognize on the footsteps of a shrine. A woman ran down the stairs and lifted me into her arms." A small smile graced her lips. "I could see her speaking to me. I could hear the words, but I couldn't comprehend her caring gestures. She ran back up the stairs and took me into a room to rest. She cleaned and dressed me. When I was finally able to function, I got off of the futon and walked around the shrine. I found the woman and ran to her." She laughed as she continued her story, "She told me, 'No. You shouldn't be moving around. You were so weak.' I looked up at her and said, 'I'm a demon. Thank you for taking care of me.' She pat my head and we walked together. I later found her name to be Kikyo. She was the sweetest woman in the world to me, and she was devastated when I told her that I'd have to leave a week later. But she understood that I was running from something." Kagome reached for her heart. "She gave me a gift to protect me from 'what it is that desires me so wrongly,' as she put it. She also gave me a yukata, some food, and a prayer for safe travels. She also gave me permission to take the surname 'Higurashi,' as I still don't know my original surname or the clan I came from. About a month later, I found a neko village and met Sango and her family. We've been inseparable since. And that was about 200 years ago."

The tension that was present in the beginning of her story was faint. Sesshomaru looked down at her in disbelief. 'She had been through hell and back at such a young age, and still managed to not let that break her.' He vowed that nothing would ever happen to her again.

"So that makes for this to be an extremely non-standard courting, then," Inu no Taisho said and Kagome giggled and nodded her head. He laced his fingers and tapped his thumbs together while he thought. "I'll say give it about two months, and then you can mate." He directed his attention fully to Kagome, "We'll take care of the expenses and I'm sure Izayoi has always wanted to plan another mating ceremony." Izayoi's eyes widened and the biggest smile Kagome had ever seen plastered itself on her face. Inu no Taisho laughed and looked at Sesshomaru, "Now, about what you wanting to know if it's possible for a human to change into a demon. It's not possible for a human to become a full demon, but he or she can become hanyou. And the only way for that to happen is for the soul to be dark enough to even house any demon, and it must be asked for a demon to use the body as a vessel to get what he or she wants. But what a lot of humans don't realize is that, once you ask for that darkness to be a part of your life, it doesn't leave just because you ask it to. It stays until it feels like it wants to go. Why do you ask?"

Kagome spoke up, "This guy, Hojo, I think he may have asked for the power from a demon living within him."

Inu no Taisho nodded his head. "Did he seems different from the last time you saw him?"

Kagome looked at Sesshomaru, "He seemed more dismissive and said that he's always watching."

Sesshomaru continued to stare at his father. "Will he present a problem?"

"He might, if he's infatuated with our Kagome." He looked at Kagome, "And considering what you said about your parents, let's not take any chances with your safety." He pulled out his phone. "I'm going to have InuYasha come back right away. I'm guessing we'll need all the help we can get. You two are welcome to stay here. I actually insist on it." He pinned Sesshomaru with a stare while the phone rang, and Seshsomaru nodded and rose from his spot on the couch with Kagome following him.

"I'll show you to our room," he said as he walked up the stairs.

"What is Inu no Taisho thinking?"

"He's thinking that you being on the yesterday probably didn't help you keeping a low profile." He opened the door for her. "So with your location being known, you'll be staying here instead of your home." She sat on the bed and he sat next to her and pulled her to lay on his chest. "I just wish ou would've told me."

"It's not exactly something that I bring up on a first date," she said as she raised up to look him in the eyes. "Sango doesn't even know the specifics on why I left my parents or why I don't want them to find me." She sat straight up and walked to his window that faced the dense forest surrounding the house. She felt strange for a moment and her beast became restless. She ran out of the room and to Inu no Taisho. "Put a barrier up!" He looked at her and did exactly that before asking why. He never got the chance to ask. As soon as the barrier was up, he felt a strong, dark force slam into it. "It's my father."


	8. Chapter 8

There was another slam into the barrier. Inu no Taisho grimaced, "He's a strong one, isn't he?" He said it more as a statement.

Kagome could see the growing difficulty of holding the barrier in place. She turned and saw Sesshomaru behind her. "We're gonna need back-up." Her phone started to ring and it was a number she didn't recognize. Sesshomaru nodded for her to answer the call. "Hello?" she asked into the receiver.

"Hello my dear," it was a female voice, "you knew we'd find you eventually." There was a silence and Kagome's eyes widened. "Your mother doesn't even get a 'How are you?' We'll just correct you, how we did in the past. As soon as your father and I break this barrier you'll be back home answering to us for leaving so long ago." She ended the call and Kagome heard a roar.

Kagome dropped her phone. She felt as if her heart had stopped. How had they found her so quickly? She knew it was only a matter of time before they found her, especially after that paparazzi fiasco. She couldn't breathe. She sank to her knees with shock written all over her face. She was trying to fathom how could they know exactly where to go. She could hear Sesshomaru barking orders to someone on the phone. She felt the nudge someone gave her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and held it. 'Five seconds. Four. Three. Two. One.' She opened her eyes and got to her feet. She looked at everyone in the room, who seemed to flinch at her gaze. She did a better cold stare than the 'Killing Perfection' himself. She looked at him, "Who's coming?"

"InuYasha is almost here- about five minutes away," he said waiting for her to give instructions.

She nodded her head, "I need a pair of sai, a sword, and armor." Sesshomaru began walking away. She grabbed her phone and followed. She dailed Sango.

"Hey girl. What's up?" Sango said as she answered her phone.

"They found me. I'm at the Taisho's."

"We're on the way. Two minutes."

She ended the call and followed Sesshomaru into the basement of the manor. The was an extensive armory, and the two began to 'suit up.' "They both have brute strength, but my mother is more cunning. She's the one that you need to watch for." She strapped a breast plate on and started tying the weapons to her body, she knew she wouldn't be in her humanoid form for long. She looked up at him as she secured the blade on her hip to see that he was completely prepared, having donned traditional fighting attire. She smiled at him slightly as she tied her hair into a high ponytail. "Let's remove this problem." She grabbed a couple more swords and Sesshomaru grabbed armor for his father.

They darted back to the living room. Inu no Taisho was breaking a sweat with his eyes squeezed shut, "Been a while since I've had to use this much energy," he opened one eye and smiled. "I miss it."

"You should be getting a break soon," as Kagome said that, the slamming against the sheild stopped. "Hurry. That's Sango, and maybe Miroku. They can't fight those two for long." She walked pass Sesshomaru to the front door. "We'll lead them away, so a protection barrier can keep your home safe. This ends today."

She walked out the door, and Sesshomaru followed her. Kagome heard Sango yell, "Hiraikotsu!" Her eyes widened, her stare hardened, and she bolted in the direction of the fight with Sesshomaru hot on her heels.

She unsheathed the sword and sliced her father's back open and continued to run further from the Taisho manor.

"Our daughter has finally come out to play," Kagome heard her mother say lovingly.

Kagome slid to a stop in a clearing, Sesshomaru, Sango, Miroku, and InuYasha did the same a moment later. They all wore traditional fighting attire. Kagome's was similar to Sango's, except her's had green accents. "Kill my mother first. My father can't do anything without her planning," Kagome said with a cold tone. They all nodded their understanding and waited for the two demons to enter the clearing.

"Kukuku," Kagome's father chuckled darkly. "It's time to come home, Kagome."

Everyone took a defensive stance, and waited for their main target to emerge. There was a rustle to the right of them Sango was the one to speak. "What is Hojo doing here?"

Kagome took a deep breath and smelled the strange-ness in his scent. It was her father's scent mingling with his. "He's dying with my parents."

Hojo threw himself at them in a hysterical manner. "I got this," Miroku said as he stepped in Hojo's way of Kagome and punched the boy in the jaw.

At that moment, Kagome's father attacked. He surged forward with an evil gleam in his eyes. "At least this time you can fight back, daughter!" he yelled as he got closer. Kagome crouched, but Sesshomaru and InuYasha beat her. They both lept into action and acted the father. Kagome used her aura to feel for her mother's and found it away from the action in the safety of the treeline.

"Come out, and fight, you coward!" Kagome called in the direction of where she felt her mother.

The woman walked out of the cover of the trees. Kagome and Sango were on alert. "You wouldn't really hurt me. I am still your mother." The woman feigned a hurt expression.

"You bet your ass I would," Kagome stated flatly as she and Sango took a defensive stance.

The woman ran at her full speed and shouted, "You insolent BITCH!"

She swung down at Kagome with her claws, but Kagome blocked the attack with her sword and pushed back causing the woman to stumble backward. Kagome then took the offensive while her mother regained her footing and attacked. They faught blow for blow. Swing for swing. They were evenly matched and Sango waited until there was an opening for her to attack the woman and help her best friend. Finally, Kagome got a leg up. Her mother lost her footing on a loose root and tripped. Sango took the opportunity and went around behind the woman while Kagome faced her head on. The woman jumped forward with her arms streched outward as if she was going to grab Kagome's throat. Sango sped to the woman and drove her sword into the woman's back; impaling her and causing her to fall to her knees. Kagome walked up to the woman sitting on her knees and lifted her face to look her in the eyes.

"Look at me," Kagome said coldly. The woman continued to avert her gaze. "Look into the eyes of the woman who will take your life." She looked into her daughter's eyes. "It could have been different." The woman opened her mouth to say something and Kagome drove her sword down into the woman's mouth and out of the back of her neck. She removed the sword, and the woman fell over in a gurgling, coughing fit.

"Na-Nara-ku-" the woman coughed out.

"No one can help you, but it's nice to know my father's name," Kagome said coldly before she decapitated the woman and threw the bloodied sword down.

She grabbed the woman's head and walked to where the fight had moved with her father and Sesshomaru. She felt Inu no Taisho's presence, and she could no longer feel Hojo. She and Sango walked to the new battle field, and they saw her father's, Naraku's, large size. "Hey Naraku!" she called, her voice starting to merge with her beast. He turned and laughed at her. "You lost something back there." She threw the head at him as her eyes began to bleed. He growled at her menacingly, roared, and charged at her. Kagome roared back, pulled out her sai, and ran toward him.


	9. Chapter 9

"You bitch!" Naraku roared as his claws met with Kagome's sai.

She growled back at him and smirked, "Well I learned cold ways from the best." She dropped one hand and stabbed at her father's side, when he suddenly vanished. "Where'd he go?!"

Everyone, including Sesshomaru, looked at a lost for words as they scanned the battle field in search of Naraku. An eerie silence settled over the field as a dense fog rolled in. Before long, everyone was separated from one another.

"Sango! Sesshomaru! Inuyasha! Miroku! Inu Papaaa!" Kagome called out as she frantically looked around trying to see her friends. She heard a laugh that came from nowhere, but was everywhere at the same time. "Kukuku." She walked carefully through the fog. She heard the laughter again, then Sango's voice rang out. "Hiraikotsu!" The fog cleared enough for both Kagome and Sango to see who her large boomerang hit.

"NOO!" Sango and Kagome screamed in unison. "The fog stopped Kagome from running to her fallen comrade, but allowed her to watch as Sango crumpled over Miroku's severed body. Kagome watched in horror as her best friend screamed and clutched Miroku's top half to her body repeated screaming "no."

Kagome angrily wiped the tears from her face, "This isn't about them, you coward. This is about you and me!" She tried to run to her friend, again, but was knocked back by a searing barrier. She looked at her friend and watched her transform into her true form and roar. "Sango! No! He's baiting you!" Sango snarled and hissed when Naraku easily passed through the fog and up to Sango. She pounced at him and he dodged her with ease.

"Now now, little kitten. Is that anyway to behave?" he asked her condescendingly with a smug smirk. She snarled and attacked him again. "I would think Kagome taught you better than this." He lept out of her way and onto her back. She began to buck like a bull in an effort to remove him from her person, but to no avail. "He thrust his arms into her back and poured his miasma into her body.

"NOO! STOP IT! SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU!" Kagome screamed and pounded on the barrier. By the time Sango dropped and started to change back to her humanoid form, Kagome's hand were blistered from the barrier. She watched as Naraku removed himself from her person and walked back into the fog laughing. Once he was invisible, the barrier dissolved and she ran to Sango. "No. No no no no no no." She pulled Sango into her lap and hugged her tightly. "Please. Sango. Please don't go. Don't leave me. This is just a bad dream. I'm gonna wake up and you're going to be at Miroku's apartment, and I'll be at Sesshomaru's. This can't be real." She cried into Sango's hair.

"Ka-" Sango wheezed.

"Shh sh," Kagome said shakily between her sniffles. "You need your strength to heal. You'll be fine." Kagome brushed Sango's hair with her hand.

Sango sobbed, "I won't be ok, Kags," she hiccupped. "I killed Miroku," she allowed more tears to fall.

"It wasn't your fault Sango. Don't think like that. Everything will be fine."

Sango's eyes lit up and a smile graced her face between the sobs. "He- He's here." She looked into space at something Kagome couldn't see. "He says he forgives me," she cried a little more and reached her hand out in the direction she was looking. Kagome watched her best friend reach out.

"It's ok, Sango. Go with him."

She took in a shuddered breath and looked up at Kagome. I'm sorry I failed you."

"Shh," Kagome gave her a watery smile. "You have done more than I could have ever asked of you." She hugged Sango close to her body. "I love you Sango."

"I.. love you... Kags..." Kagome watched as a pained expression crossed her face that she tried to hide with a smile. She saw the last of Sango's breath leave her body and the light go out of her eyes. A sob made her entire body shudder as she closed Sango's blank eyes.

"That's. So. Touching." Naraku's voice sounded around her like his laugh did.

With tears still in her eyes, she stood and shouted in no direction in particular. "You want me! Leave them alone!"

"Oh. But, in order to break you, I have to remove the people you love. In front of your eyes." The voice faded and Kagome saw Inuyasha appear through the fog.

"Kagome?!," he called out. "Is that really you or another hallucination?"

"It's me, Inu!" she called to him as she walked in his direction, not trusting that Naraku would let her touch her brother figure. She tentatively reached for his hand, and when she felt Inuyasha's arm she hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry for getting you involved with all of this." She buried her head into his neck and inhaled his scent.

"What are you talking about, Kags? We're gonna kill this bastard, then-"

"Aagh," Kagome screamed. There was an extreme pain in her right trapezius muscle. Then there was a warm liquid spreading on her chest and back. She felt Inuyasha's arms tighten around her. "No. Not you, too," her voice broke.

"He- he hit- my heart. I'm dead when he removes this tenta-" he was cut off when Naraku removed his tentacle and pulled his heart out in one swipe.

Kagome felt the tentacle leave her body and something solid roll off of her chest after Inuyasha fell, lifeless. She slowly looked down and screamed in agony when she saw Inuyasha's still heart in the grass. "AAGGHHHH! WHY?! STOP IT! PLEASE, STOP IT! NO ONE ELSE HAS TO DIE! YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH!" She screamed hysterically, "I'LL COME BACK!" She dropped to her knees and shakily crawled to InuYasha's lifeless body, pulled his head into her lap, and rocked back and forth as the tears rolled out.

"I thought you'd want a souvenir about a time when you were happy.'" He faded into the fog again, "One more life, and I'll lift the fog. Kukuku."

"I'll just kill myself, then. No one else will die because of me." She whispered as she stopped rocking and stared into the distance. She started to go into shock. Suddenly there was a searing pain where the hole from his tentacle impaled her.

He stuck his hand into the wound and spread his fingers relishing in the agonizing screams she let out. "What makes you think I'd allow you to do something like that?" And just like that he left her with her friend's dead body. She stared at Inuyasha with tears in her eyes.

"Please. Kami," she whispered. "Let this end."


End file.
